


Blessing In Disguise

by kingsmanstories



Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-03-30 10:25:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13949619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingsmanstories/pseuds/kingsmanstories
Summary: You  find yourself within the copious amounts of poverty within Small Heath. Using all the remaining energy you have from little food, you run off pure adrenaline as you make a break for it after grabbing bread from a bakers stall. Once the baker catches up to you, you ultimately fear the worst. However, you have an unlikely saviour.





	1. yek

Thick smog clouded the overcast sky over Small Heath. The faint whirring of close by factories filled your ears as you sat yourself on your usual street corner. Life wasn’t kind to you just lately, losing your job meant that you lost your house, and thus was forced onto the streets, like a lot of people who couldn’t afford the ever-rising living costs in Birmingham.

You couldn’t help but watched people come and go from the nearby bakers stall, the smell of fresh bread intoxicating to you. It felt like an eternity since you had something that _wasn’t_ stale and from god only knows where.

A gripping pain in your stomach pulled you out of your daze, and you absentmindedly rubbed a hand across your aching stomach as your gaze held on the bakers stall. You’d never stolen a thing in your life.

The hunger was agonising, your thoughts were clouded and disorientated.

You couldn’t stop yourself from hauling your body from the cobbles, using every ounce of energy you carried from your last meal, and making a beeline for the bread stall.

Once the owner’s back was turned, you grabbed the closest loaf of bread to you, and using the sudden rush of adrenaline, ran down the street, letting your feet guide your way.

Voices shouting in your direction were becoming louder and louder, but you didn’t know how much longer you could keep running.

Turning onto Watery Lane, you skidded and fell. Turning your head, you saw the baker and two other men making a beeline towards you. Bracing yourself, you closed your eyes and cowered, ready to take any punishment that ensued.

“There she is! Thief!” The baker shouted as he neared. You could hear his footsteps crunching through the ground as he became closer and closer, your eyes still screwed shut.

You felt the bread in your hands be snatched away from you and thrown beside you, and your shoulders gripped violently.

“Get off her.” A voice boomed from behind you, and you allowed your eyes to open, daring to glance behind you.

A Shelby. _A fucking Shelby was sticking up for you._

“She’s nothing but a dirty thief, Mr. Shelby!” The baker exclaimed as his grip tightened on your shoulder, making you wince.

“I said get off her,” Thomas said, voice eerily calm as he approached the scene, hands in his pockets and lips in a thin line. His icy eyes bore into the bakers own.

The grip on you loosened, until you was eventually shoved back to the ground. Your shoulder ached from the contact, and you eyed your saviour before eyeing the bread beside you, and then the baker.

Tommy caught your eye, and then went back to the baker. “And I suggest you fuck off before you have a run-in with the Peaky Blinders.” He ordered, watching as the baker scurried away without a word.

He strode over to you, kneeling down to your level and offering his hand.

“Come with me.”


	2. duy

The warmth you longed for engulfed you as Tommy led you inside a nearby house. It made you shudder, it’d been a long time since you stepped foot in such a place that was so warm, cosy, _welcoming._

He led you through to what looked like the kitchen and gestured to a wooden chair. “Take a seat,” His voice was softer than you imagined it’d be, it brought you comfort. For the first time in a long while, you truly felt safe.

Sitting yourself down, a small sigh of content left your lips. It may seem like something so small. but sitting on a proper chair rather than a cobbled street made you appreciate the moment. “Thank you.” You said, voice cracking before you cleared your throat. 

Tommy opened his mouth to say something, before he was interrupted by a woman’s voice from the hallway of the house.

“Tommy, have you seen Michael? There’s something I need to-” The woman came into view in the kitchen, stopping her chatter when she laid eyes on you. Her dark curls were pulled up into an up-do, and a burgundy coat lay on her shoulders. You admired the way she held herself, with so much poise, and Tommy seemed to respect her a lot.

“Pol, this is…” Tommy looked to you for your name, realising he hadn’t yet had the chance to ask. As you told him, he repeated and nodded towards Polly. He quickly introduced you to her before explaining himself. “She was in a bit of trouble, earlier, just outside. I brought her in for some food and maybe a place to stay for the night.”

Polly’s expression softened as he laid her eyes back on you, a soft smile pulling at her lips. You admired the woman already, she reminded you of your own mother. “Yes, of course.” She said, ridding herself of her coat and gloves, going into the kitchenette and pulling out the fresh bread from her basket, and some ham. “Do you like ham?”

You looked up to her and nodded slightly, managing a small exhausted smile. “Yes, please. Thank you.” Your voice was weak, and the woman before you knew what you needed. 

* * *

At nine o’clock, you’d found yourself tucked up in a small but cosy guest bedroom. Your fingers ran across your soft skin from the bath you’d taken, before running through your clean hair. The last time you’d felt like this, you couldn’t remember, but you was appreciating and revelling in every moment you had of this comfort.

Polly had given you some of Ada’s old clothes which had fit like a treat, and she took your old, worn and torn ones to be washed overnight. You felt like a new woman, washed away from your past.

Only for the night, however.

There was a small knock at the door, and you sat up in the bed before answering. “Come in,” 

Tommy gently pushed open the door and stepped inside before closing it behind him again, sitting down on the wooden chair in the corner of the room closest to your bed. He gave you a soft smile. “How are you feeling?” He asked.

“Great, thank you. Mr. Shelby, I really appreciate what you have done for me, I can’t thank you enough. This is more than I could ever ask for.” You said, meeting his gaze and sending him a warm smile. You took a moment to observe his eyes, icy, yet soft when they met yours.

“You really don’t have to thank me,” Tommy replied, a breathy chuckle slipping past his lips. “Tommy is fine, though.”  He gave you a nod, before clearing his throat and speaking again. He rehearsed his words in his head, making sure he doesn’t offend you. “What did you do? Before you was, um-”

“A stableperson, Mr. Shel- Tommy,” You said with a shy smile, breaking away from his gaze before starting again. “Always loved ‘orses. I used to work in the stables not too far from here actually, had a lot going for me I did. I used to ride the ‘orses a lot too.”

“What happened?” Tommy said, leaning forward in his hair with his elbows on his knees, his voice barely above a whisper as he waited for you to carry on.

“I was there for nearly four years, I lived in a house and everything. One day, I went to work and the owner told me that he’d found a man who could do the job better, and that I was sacked. I was devastated. I couldn’t afford my house anymore, lost it and ended up on the cobbles.” You continued, the earlier smile had fallen from your lips and in its place was a deep frown.

Tommy sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry,” He said, before continuing, he suddenly thought about a racehorse he’d recently brought, and an idea popped into his head. “Do you know how to break in a horse?” He asked as you met his gaze again, eyebrows raised.

“Yes, I’ve done it many times,” You answered curiously, brows furrowing as you motioned for him to explain. It was true, alongside being a stable person, you was rather talented with actually dealing with the horses.

“I’ve recently just brought a new horse. I’m planning on making it a racehorse, but it’s a stubborn stallion that hasn’t been broken in yet. Polly will wake you in the morning, and get dressed and ready by nine. You’re gonna break in this horse for me.” Tommy said, rising from his seat as you stared at him with an expression of pure wonder on your face.

You couldn’t quite believe your luck. 

Tommy headed back over to the door, pulling it open. “Goodnight. See you in the morning.” Before leaving, he glanced back at you, giving you what you figured was a smile.

“Goodnight, Tommy.”

The door shut and you was left in darkness, left to wonder what the next day was to bring.


	3. trin

The morning came around quicker than you had hoped. The comfort of the _delightful_ bed you was sleeping in seemed to beg you to stay curled up in its snug covers for just a moment longer, but a knocking on your door made you peel yourself away from the warmth, a hiss escaping your mouth as you pulled yourself upright.

“Good morning, I’ve left some of riding clothes outside your door, dear. Breakfast will be on the table in ten minutes.” A soft feminine voice called from the other side of the door, which you seemed to recognise from last night.

A small smile made its way to your lips. Never did you ever expect any family to be so kind and giving to you, and you _definitely_ didn’t expect the fucking _Shelby’s. “_ Thank you, Polly. I shan’t be long.” You replied, and you heard her footsteps descend the small wooden staircase.

With a sigh, you pushed away the cotton covers and swung your legs over the side of the bed to stand. You pottered over to the door, carefully swinging it open to find a neat pile of riding clothes, and some leather boots. It’d been a long time since you’d owned any clothes of the sort, and you were _more_ than excited to have the opportunity to do it again.

After changing into the riding clothes, you pulled on the leather boots that managed to fit like a glove. You quietly went downstairs where the smell of freshly cooked bacon was filling your nostrils, and you couldn’t contain a sigh. It was _heavenly._

Polly was stood in the kitchenette, and Tommy sat at the table with three other young men that you recognised as his brothers. “Good morning.” You said with a smile, sitting down on a chair as Polly began to plate up breakfast.

Tommy turned his attention from his newspaper to you, and his eyebrows raised. “Good morning,” he said, eyeing you with a ghost of a smile on his lips. He admired the way you held your head high, despite the background you’d come from, and the way you held yourself with poise, and _elegance._

Pleasantries and light conversation with the other Shelby siblings was made over breakfast. You tried to savour the taste of the food in front of you, resisting the urge to gulp it down in one big mouthful. In reality, you didn’t know whether another meal like this would be in front of you any time soon.

After breakfast was consumed, the other Shelby’s bid you goodbye and went on their way to the betting shop. Tommy cleared his throat as he led you from the kitchen to the front door, after you had thanked Polly for the breakfast.

Tommy led you outside to the car parked on the road, holding the door open for you as you climbed into the passengers seat. “Thank you, Tommy,” you said, flashing him a small smile.

He gave you a curt nod before sitting in the drivers seat, and wasted no time in roaring the engine to life and starting your travels to the stables where his horse was being kept. The both of you were in comfortable silence until he spoke up. “How are you feeling? About breaking in the horse.” 

“I’m excited, its been a while since I’ve been anywhere near a horse, so being back with them again is wonderful.” You said, the excitement evident in your tone. 

Tommy let a small smile tug at his lips as he glanced at you for a moment, before turning his eyes back to the road. “Good. That’s good.” He said as he pulled up at a yard, turning off the engine and stepping out, before getting to your side and helping you down.

As he held your hand when you stepped out of the car, you met his eyes for a second. You gave him a bashful smile before averting your gaze and releasing his hand. _He’s certainly a charmer,_ you thought to yourself.

“Right, he’s just this way,” Tommy said, motioning for you to follow him. You followed him to some wooden stables, and inside one of them was the most stunning horse you’d ever laid eyes on.

He was black like the night, with a long mane to match. His physique was impeccable, and you knew you could make him a winner in no time. He whinnied as you approached, and you smiled softly. “He’s beautiful,” you said, turning to Tommy who gave you a nod and a small smile.

“Indeed he is.” Tommy replied, watching as you equipped the stallion with ease and led him to a paddock. He followed, standing at a distance to give you room.

Tommy watched intently, hands tucked into his pockets and a cigarette in his mouth as you bonded with the horse in front of you. You did various exercises with the stallion, and Tommy watched on in awe. 

He’d just lit another cigarette, turning away from the direction from the wind so the flame stayed. When he turned back, you was riding the horse with ease. 

For the first time in a long time, Tommy was speechless and his jaw was slack. He’d purchased this horse as a project, it was stubborn and fiery in the auction house, he knew it would take time to break in.

Yet here you was, you’d gotten through to the most stubborn horse he’d ever come across. He strode over to the paddock, and you stopped the horse as he approached, a smile on your face. “This one’s gonna be a winner, I know he is,” You said, pride surging in your voice.

Tommy nodded, smiling. “That he is.” He patted the horse on the back, who whinnied in response. “He’s gonna give them a run for their money when he’s trained.”

You nodded in agreement, sighing softly. In all truthfulness, you didn’t want this day to end. Here you was, back working with horses, a peaceful nights sleep under your belt and a good meal in your stomach. Yet, this evening no doubt, you’d be back to reality. A small frown tugged at your lips at the thought. “Tommy?”

“Yes?”

“Who’s training him? For the races?” You asked, knowing his answer would most likely be some upper-class, trained horseman with years of knowledge and experience with race horses, or something of the like. However, like this man seemed to be doing a lot lately, his answer caught you off guard completely.

“You.” Tommy said, as if it was completely obvious. He took a drag on his cigarette, blowing out the smoke as he clocked your response.

Your face was a picture. You couldn’t quite believe what you was hearing. “Are you…Are you serious? You’re not joking? But where am I going to live? How am I going to-” 

Tommy chuckled, cutting you off. “Yes, I’m serious. No, I’m not joking. You’ll be living in the house you stayed in last night, in the spare room until we find something more convenient for you.” He answered casually, taking another drag on his cigarette.

You stared at him in awe, before sporting the biggest smile you’d had in a long time. Dismounting from the horse, you wrapped your arms around Tommy, slightly surprised when he returned the gesture. “Thank you, Tommy.”

“You deserve it.” He whispered, giving you a small smile as you pulled back. Clearing his throat, he stepped back. “Right, I’ve got a meeting at the shop in half an hour, but I’ll come and pick you up after. I’ll be an hour at the latest, feel free to start your training.” Tommy said, making sure to take in your excited expression and the feeling of warmth it brought him.

You nodded, “Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

Today, this man seemed to be _filled_ with surprises as he leaned forward and gave a small kiss to your cheek before turning around to walk away.

His next words made your excitement increase tenfold.

“Remember, The Grand National is in a month. You’re gonna be there.”

And with that, he left you with a horse that you would put every ounce of faith into.


	4. shtar

##  **_ONE MONTH LATER…_ **

**_The Grand National, Aintree, England_ **

* * *

 

The sun was shining opulently in the sky, with no clouds in sight. It was a perfect day for the races, and you couldn’t have wished for better weather. The last month had consisted of a lot of hard work with Tommy’s horse, and you was hoping to god that it would pay off. 

You’d been living with the Shelby’s in the past month, and you appreciated everything they had given you. You had even become good friends with Tommy’s brothers, having spent a lot of time around them in the month you’d been staying down Watery Lane. Your relationship with Tommy, however, was the best friendship you’d had since your last workplace, and you thought the world of him, despite what he did for a living.

Standing in the stables, you groomed your horse for his upcoming race, making sure it was in the most perfect condition possible. You was so deep in thought that you didn’t notice footsteps approaching you from behind. A very familiar Brummie accent pulled you from your thoughts.

“How is he?” Tommy asked, running his hand along the horse’s face, giving him a small pat on the side. He admired the way you treated the horse with so much care, and _love,_ and he knew as soon as he saw you breaking it in, you were the only trainer for the job.

“Very well, there’s no reason why he can’t be a winner.” You said, sending a smile in Tommy’s direction. Putting your brushes and grooming equipment away, you began to equip the horse for the race. 

Tommy nodded, satisfied with the horses shape. “If this horse wins today, I’ll take you out for dinner.” He said, taking a drag from the cigarette in his hand as he eyed you for your reaction. 

Blushing furiously, you nodded in agreement, a swarm of butterflies taking your stomach hostage. “That’d be lovely, thank you, Tommy.” You replied, getting ready to take the horse to the track, slowly walking forward. “Where will you be watching?”

“In the main stand, meet me there after you’ve handed over the horse for the race.” Tommy said, giving you a lopsided smile, before brushing a stray hair behind your ear and landing a soft kiss to your cheek. This had become a regular way of him bidding you goodbye. 

As you lead the horse to the racetrack you felt like a giddy schoolgirl with a spring in your step, a permanent smile etched onto your face. You weaved though the crowds of well-dressed respectable ladies and gentlemen as you exited the main stable, handing over the horse to the jockey, giving it a final pat before retreating.

You changed into your race day dress, tidying up your hair before making your way to the main stand, in attempt to find Tommy and his brothers. Fortunately, you spotted the familiar peaky caps in the sea of many similar ones, and made your way over. Arthur and John greeted you with brief hugs before you found Tommy, just in time for the race to start. 

You felt your heart rate quicken with every jump as your eyes were glued to the horse that you’d nurtured. Gasps escaped your lips every so often, and you felt a gloved hand slide into yours. Still, you didn’t avert your gaze, you just tightened your grip on the hand as your horse surged to the front from the middle, and a small noise of pride escaped your lips.

“Go on boy! Go on, lad!” Arthur and John were shouting from the pavilion, amongst many other spectators’ shouts and cries of encouragement. 

As soon as the horse had crossed the line, in first place, it seemed like the screams and shouts around you were drowned out. You were in shock.

You had trained a _fucking Grand National winning horse._

You were pulled out of your thoughts when Tommy was pulling you into an embrace, lifting you off your feet. “You fuckin’ done it, you bloody did it.” He whispered, peppering small kisses to your head as you felt Arthur and John patting your back and shoulders, Tommy still holding you up as he led you down to the racetrack.

“Let’s get that trophy, then you and I have a dinner to go to.”


	5. panj

As you expected, Thomas was _adamant_ about not telling you about where he was taking you. To an extent, you was a little worried when the drive started getting to the outer rim of Small Heath.

Biting the bullet, you decided to try and pry it out of him once more. “Tommy, where are we going, seriously?” You said, a hint of amusement in your tone as you shifted in your passenger seat to face him.

Without taking his eyes off the road, he lifted a hand off the steering wheel to hold yours, a gesture which made the butterflies in your stomach flutter tenfold. A ghost of a smile hinted at his lips as he abruptly stopped the vehicle, turning to meet your gaze. “Well, we’re here now.” 

Tommy stepped out of the car after gently letting go of your hand, quickly lighting a cigarette and placing it between his lips. He strode over to the passengers side and opened your door, grasping your hand again as you stepped down. Offering you his arm, he led you towards what looked like a warehouse.

“Tommy, are you taking me to dinner in a _warehouse?”_ You said, an amused smile on your features as you glanced up at him. He still didn’t meet you gaze, instead took a drag on the cigarette between his lips. 

“You’ll see, love.” He replied nonchalantly, holding the wooden door open for you before following you inside.

The warehouse was dimly lit by candles around the outside, balanced on crates. In the middle, was a round table covered in a white cloth, a candlelight in the middle with two chairs. The sight brought a blush to your cheeks and a smile to your lips.

Of course, he planned this.

Tommy led you over to the table, gently coaxing your jacket off your shoulders before pulling out a chair for you and tucking you into the table. He then rid himself of his own jacket and sat opposite you. “Wha’ do you think?” 

“Its different, I like it. I can honestly say I’ve never been on a date in a warehouse before.” You replied, and he gave you a rare smile in response. 

Before he could reply, Curly appeared with two dishes in his hands. Over the past month of training the racehorse, you’d gotten to know Curly fairly well, and you admired the way he had with horses. “One for you, Miss,” he said as he placed the dish in front of you, and the did the same for Tommy. “And for you, Tom,”

“Thank you, Curly.” Tommy replied, admiring your reaction to the lavish meal that was set before you. For something that was cooked up in a warehouse, to you it looked like something you’d see at The Ritz. This brought a warmth to his heart he hadn’t felt in a while. 

“Do you want some music, Tom?” Curly said, fidgeting with the excitement of the situation consuming him. Before Tommy could even reply, he was back with the phonograph and a few records in his free hand. He set one to play, before scurrying off with a polite nod to both of you.

“Go on, tuck in,” Tommy said, gently waving his fork in your direction as he began his meal, eyeing you for your reaction. “What do you think?” He said, between bites.

As soon as the food hit your tastebuds, you felt like you was in food heaven. You’d never had anything cooked to such perfection before. “This is amazing, honestly. Thank you, Tommy.” 

Tommy smiled, a real, genuine, _smile. “_ No need to thank me, love. I’m not the one who just won the fucking Grand National.” He said, which earned a blush from you. 

The rest of the meal was spent in comfortable silence as you finished the frankly _divine_ food, which didn’t take long for either of you. After downing the rest of his glass of wine, Tommy stood up and changed the record on the phonograph before appearing at the side of your chair, hand outstretched. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course, sir,” You replied with a giggle, hand slipping into his and allowing him to pull you from your chair. Your hands found his shoulders and his hands found your waist. Last of all, his eyes found yours. 

Something you definitely couldn’t deny was the way the Shelby made you feel. For the first time in a long time, you felt _alive._ You felt like you was truly unstoppable, and you never wanted it to end.

Bodies swaying gently to the music, one of Tommy’s hand found your flushed cheek, thumb gently grazing your skin. Before you could register his actions or have time to react, his lips were on yours. 

It was sweet, slow, _passionate,_ everything you ever imagined it would be. Your arms wound around his neck, pulling him as close as possible, and both of his hands cupped your cheeks as his lips moved in sync with your own.

After what felt like an eternity, you pulled back first for air. Tommy’s hands caressed your cheeks as you both caught your breaths, staring at each other with awestruck grins etched into your features. 

If there was ever a moment you’d want to stay in forever, it’d be this one.

**Author's Note:**

> The chapter names are numbers in Romani, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in any way!


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